Knicks · Should the Knicks Start Quickley at PG in the first game (page 1)

Not sure what the practices looked like, but he won that job in the pre-season games, IMO.

I voted for a IQ to start. Kenny Albert asked Clyde who he would start and Clyde said Elfrid, because it was too much pressure to put on the young player. Also consider we have seen a very small sample and vs the worst defense backcourt in the NBA. If it was a vacuum I would agree with Clyde and start the vet. You can always ride the kid for more minutes if he's hot.

But its not a vacuum... there are other factors starting with RJ and Randle. I really love what I see from them. Randle was a great ball mover and he's been a really positive player. RJ was already a good ball handler and his court vision has looked super sharp. Even if his 3 isnt great this year he can rack up a lot of drive and dish assists... if you have shooter. So I think you can ask Quickley to play aggressive D, play on the ball and run a few simple sets. The bottom line is his fundamentals are fantastic. Always has his head up, always plays D with his feet and keeps a hand up.. all the little stuff.

So start him because it makes basketball sense. He's a good defender, he was good on the speedy Cle guards, and man his shot looks good. I dont remember him turning the ball over either on a play that wasnt in the act of attacking. He's just the best fit. You can run the offense through Randle and RJ. I like Burks or Bullock in as a 3&D guy and Mitch as well.

One game. He looked really good. I start Payton. Quickly can be off the bench, sooner if we’re stinking. After a few, maybe then make. It’s a 72 game season, can’t burn him out in the first 20 games. Let him come along slowly.

EwingsGlass wrote:Not sure what the practices looked like, but he won that job in the pre-season games, IMO.

GREAT QUESTION... turns out we got that covered:

Thibs wrote:“You could say that about every player in the roster. But he’s done a really good job. When he’s been on the floor, the team is functioning extremely well. We’ll talk about it as a staff and move forward there. He got our attention in practice. And if you practice well, you usually play well,” Thibodeau said.

“Nothing is ever set in stone. The one thing that you do understand is that you gonna need everybody over the course of the season. The important thing, just like what Quick has shown us, he didn’t play in the first game. But he didn’t change his approach. So when his opportunity came, he was ready and he ran with it,” he added.

Sounds like he killed it in practice and then killed it in the game

source :
https://empiresportsmedia.com/new-york-k...

franco12 wrote:One game. He looked really good. I start Payton. Quickly can be off the bench, sooner if we’re stinking. After a few, maybe then make. It’s a 72 game season, can’t burn him out in the first 20 games. Let him come along slowly.

sure.. but the problem is with Elf/RJ/Burks/Randle/Mitch(or Noel) you have literally one guy who's a consistent threat from 3 and he's league average. There is ZERO spacing and every play is going to end in a contested jumper or RJ or Randle barreling into a paint full of defenders. I had hoped to see Frank develop his shot and win that spot but who knows now and we know Quickly earned it with good play in practice.

100 percent on board with Quickley but I agree with Clyde. better to come of the bench for the first 3-5 games. If he looks solid as a substitute and Payton is bricking put him as the starter.

The pacers are aware of what Quickley has been doing. I think teams will test him as he gets scouted. I don’t want him to get waxed and lose confidence by the pros in the first game.

I want to say Quickley was my desired draft pick a month ago.

I will stick to my 180 degree change of opinion and say he should start. Think someone else said that Payton should be the insurance policy. Which sounds about right. Have him in case the young PG's shit the bed. I would like to see Quick start with either Dennis or Frank as back up. But I know that won't happen. Thibs loves experience. However, do not think it matters if he starts. If quick plays the way he played against Cleveland, he will be playing major minutes and will be finishing games. Only down side, I thought, was that starting the kid would put too much pressure on him and affect his development if it went bad. But watching him play with such confidence, I do not think that will happen.

Why not... It is more entertaining and has a purpose.
But Coaching stuff knows better. They see the practice.

arkrud wrote:Why not... It is more entertaining and has a purpose.
But Coaching stuff knows better. They see the practice.

and Thibs has said point blank he's been fantastic in practice

I think the Knicks should start Quickley - if he's the best they've got... you pencil in your top 5 players at each position as your starters, do you not? (and he clearly has been the best PG in preseason play)

The only general exception to that rule is if you have a selfish killer aggressive player with a #1 scoring option mentality... that isn't quite franchise material. Then you use them as your 6th man.

The main downside is that you hurt Payton and DSJ's feelings. But Payton's dealt with disappointment before and the message to him is clear that he's not a star (he's a former lotto player on his 4th team that's basically playing close to a min contract!). DSJ... well, he needs to go there's no future for him here, unfortunately.

The upside is that we potentially found our PG of the future, and he didn't even play PG at the college level!

It’s a tough call because you don’t want him to get overwhelmed and then have to bench him. I’ll start Payton and play them each 24 mpg at first. If Quickley plays the way he is now off the bench than I’ll start him pretty quick. But honestly they have to get a feel for how it would go in terms of locker room and not giving a rookie too much responsibility. I’m sure thibs will feel out the situation and if he’s sure he’s ready than start him. I believe he can definitely be the PG of the future here.

Gonna vote like Clyde said, don’t put that pressure on the rookie. Start Elf and phase him in.

JesseDark wrote:Gonna vote like Clyde said, don’t put that pressure on the rookie. Start Elf and phase him in.

Gotta agree (besides who can disagree with Clyde ?)

Can't get worked up about this though I too am excited about Quick. Trust Thibs to let this process unfold after such a short training camp.

Put him at second half of the season and no, this has nothing to do with the tank

Yes of course you start him , because quick is our best chance of winning ball games. what pressure? he’s playing in empty gyms. Not very different from preseason. Start the kid, he’s only going to get better with more PT and keeps building chemistry with the starting 5 . Will there be bumps in the road I’m sure, but he’s already better then Payton, seriously we’re serious talking about starting brick elf Payton over IQ ??? How is this even debatable.

I love quickley.....I think he's the best pg on the team. But you gotta bring him off the bench to play against the bench players. Start him off dominating second unit, which will help earn his starting stripes amongst his peers.

Hes a likable dude....creates energy and synergy.. use that as a weapon....I can see him finishing games, but no old school coach going to start him opening night.

A good analysis of Quickley’s game.

The Knicks should start Quickley. He makes the impression of being someone who thrives under pressure, confident, relentless, unfazed. Would be unfair to start Payton over him, have the Knicks go 15 points under in the opening minutes, and then insert IQ to clean up this mess. Give him the start, see how he performs in the first 20 games, if it ends up beeing too much to soon, ease up a little.
The only way good players get better is by getting playing time against the league's best. There will be downs, there will be mistakes, but great players overcome them. But will not nurture a great player by coddling him and shielding him from pressure.
Does anyone know the speed readings on Quickley? How fast is he? Anything similar to Jeremy Lin?

It's not important who starts, it's who finishes the game for us. Having said that I think IQ can handle starting. Whether or not it's a good idea I don't know. At the end of the day I don't think it's important. I will not go against Clyde. That approach is fine by me. Don't put more pressure on IQ than is already there. However, Thibs is going to start him I think. He has earned it compared to the rest of our PG's.

I think the bigger problem will be rotation.

Thibs has 13 players to create a rotation. 3 of these players will be out of the rotation when the season starts.
(My guess it's DSJ, Bullock, Rivers - INJ)

Guards:
• Elfird Payton
• Frank Ntilikina
• Dennis Smith Jr.
• Immanuel Quickley
• Austin Rivers
• Alec Burks
Forwards:
• R.J. Barrett
• Obi Toppin
• Julius Randle
• Reggie Bullock
• Kevin Knox
Bigs:
• Nerlens Noel
• Mitchell Robinson